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Posts for December 19th 2011

Hot Sauce Recipe From New York Times
hot sauce

Hot Sauce

This recipe can be easily adjusted to make as little or as much as you like; simply add enough white vinegar to complete submerge the chiles.
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This recipe can be easily adjusted to make as little or as much as you like; simply add enough white vinegar to complete submerge the chiles. Don't forget to wear gloves if you're working with exceptionally hot chiles, and avoid inhaling the fumes as you heat the sauce.

From ed from Kerri Conan

Hot Sauce

Hot Sauce Recipe From New York Times

Ingredients

1 pound chiles, any variety
Approx. 5 cups white vinegar (enough to cover chiles)
Salt, to taste

Directions

  1. Rinse and stem the chiles, leaving the seeds intact.
  2. Drop the chiles into a blender or food processor; cover with white vinegar.
  3. Puree until smooth.
  4. Transfer the sauce to a pot and bring to a boil, stirring once or twice.
  5. Funnel the sauce into a quart jar (or several smaller jars) and cool.
  6. Cover with a cloth (I used cheesecloth) and let sit at room temperature, undisturbed, for three days.
  7. After three days, carefully pour off (and save, if you like) all but a thin layer of vinegar, seal the jars, and refrigerate for up to a few months.

Makes 1 quart.

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Katie Lee's Holiday Entertaining Tips and Appetizer Recipes
Holiday

Katie Lee Shares Her Secrets For Throwing a Simply Chic Holiday Cocktail Party

The holidays are always a little hectic, and there's definitely some added pressure for those of us who volunteer to play host for a Hanukkah celebration, Christmas dinner, or New Year's Eve party.
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The holidays are always a little hectic, and there's definitely some added pressure for those of us who volunteer to play host for a Hanukkah celebration, Christmas dinner, or New Year's Eve party.

We caught up with entertaining expert Katie Lee as she toasted her role as Clos du Bois wine ambassador in LA, and couldn't resist asking for some advice on how to make throwing a successful seasonal soiree less stressful. Over a wine pairing lunch at the Sunset Tower Hotel, we snagged her tips on everything from whipping up the perfect deviled egg to her favorite unexpected spot for finding party decor — as well as her food trend predictions for 2012. Katie also dished on some of her favorite easy-to-make recipes for cocktails and appetizers and gave us ideas on how to simplify and save money when playing host for friends and family.

YumSugar: You've got so many great recipes for appetizers. What will you be serving at your house this season?
Katie Lee: On Christmas Eve, I’m cooking a really big dinner. I have 20 people coming, so for the appetizers I’m doing more assembly, because I’m focusing on the main course. So, I like to do multiple crostinis. I get a baguette, slice it up, toast it. One that is a big hit is gorgonzola cheese with a dollop of fig jam. It’s excellent. I also will do some fresh ricotta. I pick it up at an Italian specialty store, [and add] really good extra-virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt. And then, I’ll do just a store-bought olive tapenade on a crostini . . . The one hors d'oeuvre that I always, always make at every party are my deviled eggs. It’s not a party at my house without deviled eggs!

YS: Do you have any tricks to making the perfect deviled egg?
KL: The secret to a good deviled egg is to not do too much to it. I just put mayonnaise and a little bit of yellow mustard in mine. Not Dijon. Yellow mustard — the cheap kind — and then I dress it up with the garnishes. So that’s where I get more creative, and for Christmas Eve or for New Year's, I’ll do a luxury deviled egg. I get some caviar, and it’s a good way serve a bunch of ingredients and stretch it. One small container of caviar can go on 20 deviled eggs, and then you save money on caviar and [don't have to] spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars.

Keep reading to check out the rest of Katie Lee's holiday entertaining tips.

Best White Wines in 2011
Best of 2011

What Is Your Favorite White Wine?

Many red wine lovers discredit the crisp, fruity flavors in white wine, but here at YumSugar, we are equal-opportunity wine drinkers.
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Many red wine lovers discredit the crisp, fruity flavors in white wine, but here at YumSugar, we are equal-opportunity wine drinkers. White wine varies tremendously from bottle to bottle and we want to know where your preference lies. Do you stray toward sweeter whites like Rieslings or do you prefer a drier white like a Chardonnay? Vote for your white wine preference below.

Gingerbread Cookies
cookies

Gingerbread Cookies

From Everyday FoodGingerbread CookiesIngredients2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling 2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 1/3 cup packed dark-brown sugar 1/3 cup unsulfured molasses 1 large egg Decorating sugar or sprinkles (optional) Directions In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, spices, baking soda, and salt.
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From Everyday Food

Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
1 large egg
Decorating sugar or sprinkles (optional)

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, spices, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  2. With an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in molasses and egg. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients. Mix just until a dough forms.
  3. Place the dough on floured plastic wrap. Pat into an 8-inch square. Wrap well. Chill until firm, 1 to 2 hours.
  4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Divide dough in half. Working with one half at a time (rewrap and refrigerate other half), place dough on floured parchment or waxed paper. Roll it out 1/8 inch thick, turning, lifting, and flouring dough (and rolling pin) as needed. Freeze dough (on paper) until firm, about 20 minutes.
  5. Loosen dough from paper. Cut out shapes, and transfer to baking sheets. Decorate with sugar or sprinkles, as desired.
  6. Bake until firm and edges just begin to darken, 10 to 18 minutes, depending on size. Cool completely on baking sheets.

    7. Makes 36 cookies.

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Butternut Squash and Brie Pizza With Arugula and Walnut Oil
pizza

Butternut Squash and Brie Pizza With Arugula and Walnut Oil

From Lauren Hendrickson, YumSugarButternut Squash and Brie Pizza With Arugula and Walnut OilIngredients1 small butternut squash (about a cup and half) 2 tablespoon olive oil 1 premade pizza dough Flour for dusting 8 ounces brie, cut into thin slices 2 cups arugula 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons walnut oil 1/8 cup Champagne vinegar Salt, to taste Directions Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
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From Lauren Hendrickson, YumSugar

Butternut Squash and Brie Pizza With Arugula and Walnut Oil

Butternut Squash and Brie Pizza With Arugula and Walnut Oil

Ingredients

1 small butternut squash (about a cup and half)
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 premade pizza dough
Flour for dusting
8 ounces brie, cut into thin slices
2 cups arugula
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons walnut oil
1/8 cup Champagne vinegar
Salt, to taste

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and coat the flesh in the olive oil.
  2. Cook until the butternut squash is soft and a fork will go through the thickest side, about 30 to 45 minutes depending on the size. Set aside and let cool. Using a sharp knife, slice chunks into the squash cutting both directions and scoop the squash out with a spoon into a bowl.
  3. Preheat the oven to 500ºF with a large cookie sheet or pizza stone inside. Roll or stretch the pizza dough to roughly the size of your cookie sheet or pizza stone. Using a fork, quickly make a bunch of little wholes to eliminate bubbles in the dough. Once the oven has preheated, carefully place the rolled out dough on the cookie sheet or pizza stone. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes until golden.
  4. Once the pizza dough it partially cooked, pull the pizza from the oven and quickly assemble with butternut squash, 1/2 cup of arugula, and brie.
  5. Place pizza back in the oven for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the squash is warm and the cheese has melted.
  6. While pizza is cooking, in a small bowl whisk together the 1/4 cup walnut oil and champagne vinegar. Pour the dressing over the remaining arugula.
  7. Once the pizza is finished, sprinkle it with the remaining 2 tablespoons of walnut oil and season with salt.
  8. Serve a slice of pizza topped with arugula salad.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

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Spiced Pecans Edible Gift Recipe
recipes

12 Days of Edible Gifts: Spiced Pecans

The adjective "spiced" doesn't do these pecans justice.
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The adjective "spiced" doesn't do these pecans justice. A mix of sweet, citrus-y, salty, peppery, and aromatic, the flavor that coats every cranny of these pecans perfectly enhances the almost gooey but also crunchy texture. The cozy combo of spices is redolent of Winter and makes a delicious holiday snack for a party spread or just around the house.

These spiced pecans also make an easy but impressive edible gift: cook them up in batches on the stove, then package them in cute cellophane baggies tied with a bow. Get the recipe after the break.

Geoffrey Zakarian Winner of Next Iron Chef 3
Food News

Link Time: Geoffrey Zakarian's the Winner of Next Iron Chef

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Healthy Lentil Salad
salads

Easy Winter Salad: French Lentils With Potatoes

All of the richness that comes with the month of December is wonderful and delicious, but some days I just need a break from it all.
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All of the richness that comes with the month of December is wonderful and delicious, but some days I just need a break from it all. I still want something filling and flavorful that will satisfy me. That's where legumes come into play for me – specifically, lentils. This salad incorporates classic French flavors, including whole grain mustard, onions, carrots, parsley, and french lentils. I added steamed potatoes because I wanted the salad to be slightly more substantial and have variation of texture, but this is definitely optional.

This salad is much, much better cold and on the second day when the flavors have had a chance to party together overnight in a refrigerator. It makes for a great protein-packed lunch, and you'll find yourself craving it all hours of the day. For the recipe, keep reading.

Eddie Ross Holiday Tablescapes
party planning

A Different Take on the Christmas Tablescape

If you're not in the mood this year for the usual Christmas tinsel and trim, fear not: there are ways to get away from the typical yuletide tabletop scheme.
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If you're not in the mood this year for the usual Christmas tinsel and trim, fear not: there are ways to get away from the typical yuletide tabletop scheme. Lifestyle guru and style expert Eddie Ross has the right idea; he recently shared his interpretation of a (wallet-friendly!) contemporary Christmas table with CasaSugar, offering plenty of ideas for mixing affordable new dinner and servingware with unique vintage textiles.

Ross, whose past stints include food editor at Martha Stewart Living and design director at Food Network, doesn't just have good aesthetic taste — he's got a pretty solid palate as well. Keep reading for more sweet ideas when it comes to hosting friends and family at the table this holiday season.

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Savory Stuffed Crepes Picture
community

Savory Sight: Stuffed Crepes

Could there be a more delectable way to start off your Sunday than with Monica Bennett's savory stuffed crepes?
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Could there be a more delectable way to start off your Sunday than with Monica Bennett's savory stuffed crepes? We hardly think so.
Crepes with Gravlox, Fluffy Scrambled Eggs and Creme FraicheThis was amazing. Such a simple breakfast (lunch or dinner for that matter) to prepare - it is literally our "go to," meal on any given day.  We love it and especially important, B -- our 7 year old loves it too. You can view the story and recipe here. Bon appetit!

What's your weekend kick-starter of choice? Share your favorite breakfast recipes with us in Kitchen Goddess!